Man charged after toddler found in car at 3 am

CLARKSVILLE, TENN. — Clarksville police responding to a child neglect complaint early Saturday morning found an unattended 18-month-old child sleeping in a car seat in the back of an unlocked car.

The child was discovered by the complainant while checking parking permits at an apartment complex. The complainant then stood by the vehicle until CPD Officer R. Williams responded at around 3:30 a.m.

Shortly after he arrived on the scene, Williams said Dearius Delvon Oliver, 23, approached and said the car and the child were his.

Oliver, who gave a 5032A Gorgas Ave., Fort Campbell, Ky., address, said he had been trying to find a place to sleep for the night with a friend and had only been gone 10 minutes.

The complainant said he had been standing by the car for 15 minutes. When Williams talked to Oliver's friend, she allegedly said Oliver had been in her apartment 45 minutes to an hour.

Oliver was charged with child abuse/neglect and transported to the Montgomery County Jail, where bond was set at $10,000.